Written by Kevin Noble Maillard and illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal Reviewed by Miles Hartfelder (2021-2022)
When you ask someone about their culture, they will most likely mention certain foods they associate with that culture. Food plays an important role in each of our lives and in each of our respective histories. In Fry Bread, an elementary picture book, the reader dives into the wonderful world of fry bread and what it means to indigenous cultures. Beyond that, Maillard invites all people from all cultures into the world of the book through a series of descriptive and beautiful poems.
Fry Bread is a sensory, family-oriented journey through the many different facets of fry bread and what it means to all the people who enjoy it (and want to enjoy it). Each page contains a central theme (e.g. Fry bread is… food, shape, sound, color, etc.) The book is a recipe for fry bread; however, it’s much more than that. It’s a celebration of Native American heritage and its continuing importance in all Americans’ lives. The book represents inclusivity in its message and its illustrations. The reader sees all different kinds of people. The important thing about the representation involved in the book is that the text itself does not draw attention to these differences. The many different kinds of people shown in the illustrations simply exist in the world of the book. They don’t need to be explained or justified to exist there; they just do.
This book could easily fit into any K-5 curriculum, although it would most likely benefit earlier grade levels. It relates to identity and diversity while also highlighting an important aspect of Native American culture. The book is written in simple language that can be digested (no pun intended) by all young children. The book explains and describes Native American culture without stereotyping or portraying Native American culture as a fantasy. Fry Bread depicts all sorts of people coming together to enjoy a simple dish that connects past generations to future ones. I would recommend you read this book to any class, any time (but maybe after lunch or you’ll have some very hungry students on your hands!).
Great review Miles! I really like your comment about how the book doesn’t create stereotypes or paint Native American culture as “fantasy.” This looks like a great book to read for the primary grades, especially for Indigenous Peoples Day.
Thanks Ellen! Yeah I thought this would be a great introduction to Indigenous People’s Day and how native culture is not just history but present and future as well. Glad you enjoyed it!
Miles what a delightful review! After reading your thoughts I think this might be a great book for my unit on identity, so thank you for the inspiration! And I will definitely make sure I save it for after lunch 🙂
Ooh thank you for including the video. So wonderful to hear from the author in his own words. It was so sweet to see that smile when the author talked about his son being an inspiration for the book.
Miles, what a beautiful review! I love hope you incorporated the video. It shows this book is very powerful and represents indigenous cultures!